Engine-starting mechanism.



(. E. LPMAN,

ENGINE STARTING MCHIJSIVL APYLLCA'MON FILED JAN. 15, um

1,055,769. Patented Mar. M1955 mf/@wal miran s'iafrns igEN'r carica. A

CARL E. TsIPMAN, 0F BELOIT, WISCONSIN, A S-SIGNOB. 'IO THE Lm MANUFACTURING COMPANY, QF BELOIT, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN. A

ENGINE-STARTING MCHANISM.

Specification of Letters tent. Patent-ed Mar', 11,1913.

appiiauon inea January is, i912. seriai No. 671,212;

To all 'whom it may concern. Be it known that I, CARL E. Li'PiitAN, a citizen of the United States, residing 'at vBeloit, in the county of Rock and State'of sion systems and is of particular service in connection with those transmission systems in which non-self-starting engines lare employed.

The invention is of particular service in connection with those power transmissiony systems that are used for' the operation f kreservoir is charged withsp'ent gas under' automobiles or. other traveling bodies, `the invention being of service .in starting the internal com'bustioi'i engines that are usually employed.

In'praetising my invention I preferablyv cause the engine or prime mover to Store gas, under pressure, in a suitable reservoir from .which gas,.under pressure, is taken to operate an engine start-ing motor. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the reservoir is in communication with the compressore which is to be `used for the purpose stated. In order that theengine start-V ing motor-femay normally be free ofthe engine I provide clutching mechanism which is interposed between the .engine 'and its startin'g motor and which serves normally to permit the engine to run free of the starting motor but which clutchig mechanism is operated when the engine is to be started, The clutching mechanism provided with means for operatin. it; that is preferably itself operated by t e ,gas under pressure, and means are also em'p'loyed for governing the passage of the operating gas t'o the clutch operating' mechanism and the engine starting motor. The reservoir which i employ is preferably a single tank, though iV do not limitmyself to. the number of tanks comprising the reservoir, and when a single tankis used for thereservoir 'a controlling valve is' employed that permits the operating gas to flow. to the clutch operating mechanism and the engine startpressure with-.in the. reservoir operatin I prevent the'admission of furthergfg'as oming motor, the arrangement being preferably such that the clutch will be operated to couple the engine and its starting motor before the starting' motor is operated, a lresult that can be well vaccomplished owinf` to the comparatively small load imposed upon the operating gas by the clutch operating mechanism, pri'or operation of the clut'chbeing referably further assured by means of mec anism that will cause the operating gas to be applied to the clutch operat ing mechanism beforeit is applied to the engine starting motor.

I will explain my invention more fully.

by reference to the accompanying drawin Y showing two embodiments thereof, to whic however I do not wish to be limited, and in which drawing i Figure. 1 is a plan view, somewhat dia- `grammatic in its; nature, illustrating `a,

transmission system` as it is preferably equipped iii accordance with my invention; Fig. '2 is a si'de view indicating the' rela- .tionship of the engine and its Starting motor; Fig. 3 is a detail view, mainlyin section, showing the means by which the operating gas is caused to rpass to the clutch operating mechanism before it passes,to Athe'vengine starting motor.` v

Like arts are indicated by similar'char-f acters o reference throughout .the different i` figures. The reservoir in vwhich the operating as is to be'stored is shown inv the form o? a A single tank 1, a ipe 2 leadin the as to the/tank while t e pipe 3 ena les t e gas to.be passed from lthe tank. In the forni of the inventionillustrated in'Figs. 1 and 2 the'pipe 2 is in connection With"'the wmbustion chamber of each of the cylinders 4' of the engine 5 which constitutes the 4prime mover of the power transmission 'system whereby the tank 1 may besupplied withV spent gas under pressure, check valves 2l being includedin the piping `between the.;

combustion -chambers and. the" ressertank 1. I have not indicated a loa for'theenl gine'nor means for operating the loadasA the presence of such will be understood.` By

the arrangement illustrated the engine opcrates automatically to keep the reservoircharged, gas when-received under-sullicifnit vdiagrarrimaticz'illy in ica-'ted in Fig.1, servesthe engine while wheii'the gas in tlie'resevoir has its pressu'resulliciently reduced the flow of gas from the engine to the reservoir is renewed vThe prime mover starting motor is pref:y cralily one `in which'is included a shaft which rotates in uniforn'i direction vfor the purpose of starting the engine, but I do not limit iny.

self to the typeI of .startingm'otorfivhiclr is employed 4in starting theengine'.l As the invention is preferably practised, `:the exigirle 'starting motor 7 includes la `ro ta.ting shaft' .7 carrying a sproclebwheel i'i[' 'on'its outer end over which a sprocket'chain 8 is passed, this sprocket. chain 8 being in engagement with a sprocket-wheel t) which is normally loose upon the shaft-10 of theengine-5;I v

The-clutching mechanismwhich 'is employed for coupling the startingfmotor with vthe engine includes aclutch member 11 lixed with' respeetto the sprocket wheel 9 and a second clutch member 12 splinedupon the shaft 10 of the engine .5 Whercb f the clutch member 12 rotates with the sha 't- 10 while it is movable longitudinal-ly thereof.l The mechanism thatis employed tofoperate the clutch m anism incl-udesva centrally pivoted lever V.,aving connection at one end with a gro ve 14 in the clutch member 12:V whereby said clutch member may rotate with respectv to the lever 13 iwhile the lever 13 vis adapted Ato n iove the said clutch memberL longitudinally of the shaft 10'. The other-end of the lever 13 is' 'in 'linked'connect-ion with`a, piston 15v AWhich- `Works within .gf cylinder .16' and :Whose .free endconstitutcs a valise.'

Sonie suitable agenc J such-'asfaspring -17 normally bo maintainl thefclutch l'every13 in a positionin which the clutch` member 12 will be 'disengaged from'` the clutch member 11.: In the normal position of the lever 13 whichis determined, by the springl 17; the Afree end of the piston 15 operates to disconnect the pipe 3 from its branch or continuation 3*.v The main 'valve. 18 in vt-hemain pipe portion 3 is normally held closed by any suitable" means Such as the spring press thc-[piston rod 15 against the force ot the spring 17 so as to'fbring the clutch member 12 into engagement with its companion '11, the piston preferably "operating through an appreciable distance to Start the fore it permits the passage4 of operating gas to the pipe section 3l, though I' do not 1. wish' togbe limitedv to this characteristic.

TheY piston 15 constitutes a valve structure Patent the following:'-

that performs the double `function of me'A chuiiically oi'ierating the closure-and; preferahly2 thereafter permitting thc flow of operating gas to lthe engine starting motor. After the clutch operating mechanism has been started into action the engine starting motor is brought iii action to turn the sprocket'. chain 8, the sliroclt'ctavhccl f); and

vthe shaft l() which is now coupled with the sprocket wheel through thehagcncy of the clutch'i i'rien'i'hers llv and 112.

p l Though the operatinggas isadiuitted to the engine start- Ving motor before the clutch operating mechanism hasfillly acted, yet, in the preferred` arrangement, "the motor will notstart until the clutch members are fully engaged, aV result which is. duel to the heavy'loadupon the'operatinggas furnished by the startingmotoras compared with the. load "fiirnishe by the clutch operating mechanism.

The Vvalve preferably does not establish full communication between the receiver and the engine starting motor until the'clutch members have been engaged by the mechanical operation of the valve.

It will be observed that-'the valve 15 operated by the fluid passing from the reservoir to the starting -motor for the purpose of admittin fluid Vto the starting motor and I consider t is feat-ure to be'broady new.

While I-have herein shown an particu-v larly describedr the preferred' arrangement it is .obvious that' changes may.\readily be made Without departing from the spiriti-of 'myjinvention-and I do not therefore wish'to Vbclimited to the tion shown, but-1 y A Having thus described Vinv invention, I

claim as-new. andv desire to'secure by Letters 1 i '105 1 A power transn'iission system including aprirne mover; a compression reservoir' for holding. driving lluid under pressure; a motor for starting the prime mover; a valve serving to establish and intercept communi# cation het-Ween the reseryoir and said motor; and a clutch mechanicallyoperated by said valve to couple the motor andprime mover when the motor is supplied with operating.

fluid, said valve being'subject to the p r'essure of fluid flowing between the reservoir and 'motor and operable -by t-liellorwing. fluid to establish communication between the res- 9,/ A power. transmission system-including a prime mover; a. compression reservoir for holding driving Huid under pressure; a

motor for ,startingthc prime mover ;a valve precise details of eonstrucf serving to establish vand intercept communi- 1 p `cation hetwcenfthe reservoir and'said motor;- clutch operating mechanism into action, be.- and a clutchl mechanicallyl ifpcrated by said las tablisliingcommunication between the motor and reservoir, said valve being subject to the pressure of fluid flowing between the reservoir and motor and operable by the flowing fluid to establish communication betweenthe reservoir and motor.

il. A power transmission system including a prime mover; a compression vreservoir for li dng driving fluid under pressure; a motor for starting the prime mover; a valve serving to establish land interce t communication between .the reservoir, an said motor; a clutch mechanically operated by said valve to couple the motor and prime mover when the motor. is supplied with operating fluid; and a controlling valve interposed between the aforesaid valve and the reservoir for preventing and permitting the flow of fluid from the reservoir to the first aforesaid valve, said firstaforesaid valve being subject to the pressure of fluid flowing between the reservoir and motor and operable by the flowing fluid to establish communication between thereservoir and motor.

4. A power transmission system including a prime mover; a compression reservoir for holding" driving fluid under pressure; a motor for starting the prime mover; a valve servin f to establish and intercept communication etween the reservoir and said motor; a clutch mechanically operated by said valve to couple the motor and prime mover when the motor supplied with operating fluid, said valve in its movement serving to couple the clutch members before fully establishing communication between the motor and reservoir; and a controlling valve interposed between the foresaid valve and the reservoir for preventing and permitting the flow of fluid from the reservoir to the first afore ysaid valve,`said first aforesaid valve being subject to the pressure of fluid flowing between the reservoir and motorand operable by the flowing fluid to establish communication between the reservoir and motor.

5. A power transmission system including a prime mover; a compression reservoir for holding driving fluid under pressure; a motor for starting the prime mover; a valve serving to establish and interceot communicati on between the reservoir and said motor; and a clutch mechanically operated by said valve to couple the motor and prime mover holding driving flui fhn the motor is supplied with operating 6. A power transmission system including a prime mover; a com ression reservoir for under pressure; a motor for starting the prime mover; a valve serving tov establish and interce t communi` cation between the reservoir an said motor; and a clutch mechanically operated by said valve to couple the 'motor and prime mover when the motor is supplied with operating fluid, said valve in its movementserving to couple the clutch memberskbefore fully establishing communication between the motor and reservoir.

7 A power transmission system including a prime mover; a com ression reservoir for holding driving flui under rpressure; a motor for starting the prime mover; a valve serving to establish and. interce t communication between the reservoir an said motor;

a clutch mechanically operated by said valve to couple the motor andprime mover when the motor is supplied with operating fluid; and a controllin valve interposed between the first aforesaid valve and the reservoir for preventing and permitting the flow of fluid from the reservoir to the first aforesaid valve.

8. A power transmission system including a prime mover; a compression reservoir for holding driving fluid under pressureI a motor for starting the prime mover; a valve servin to establish and interce t communication etween the reservoir anfsaid motor; a clutch mechanically o erated by said valve to couple the motor an prime mover when the motor is suppli d with operating fluid, said valve in its movement serving to couple the clutch members before fully establishing communication between the motor and reservoir; and a controlling valve interposed be= tween the aforesaid valve and thereservoir for preventing and permitting the flow of fluid from the reservoir to the first aforesaid valve.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscre my name this 13th day of November AQ CARL E. LIPMAN. Witnesses G. L. Canoe, f E. L.. Warm. 

